1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating device having a static eliminator, and to an electronic apparatus having the operating device.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the related art that an electronic apparatus, such as a camera, usually has a switch button in the center of a dial provided for selecting a plurality of operation modes, so that it is possible to make the electronic apparatus compact and improve its operational performance.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing an example of a conventional dial device.
As shown in FIG. 3, the conventional dial device comprises a dial 51, and a base member 52 for holding the dial 51. A brush plate 53, which rotates together with the dial 51 and is provided with a brush 53a, can be brought into contact with patterns formed on a flexible plate 54 so as to select one mode of operation from among a plurality of modes. A button 55 slides up and down along the center axis of the dial 51, by virtue of a center shaft 55a, so as to contact a contact switch 57, and is urged upward by a spring 56. Claw portions 55b and 55c serve as retaining means for preventing the button 55 from sliding off the dial device. Reference numerals 58 and 59 represent frame members that support an electronic apparatus carrying the dial device.
On the other hand, since the trend in recent years has been to make electronic apparatuses compact, it is required that the dial be made as small as possible. Furthermore, in most cases the dial, as well as the button, are made of plastic which is an insulating material.
When the surfaces of the dial and the button get close to the brush and the contact switch, static electricity borne on the body of a human operator will surge into the electronic apparatus through the surfaces of the brush and the contact switch, which are both made of an insulating material, thus adversely and undesirably affecting internal electronic circuitry of an electronic apparatus.
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an improved dial device having a static eliminator capable of allowing any static electricity which surges through the button to escape to ground. Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic apparatus equipped with such an improved dial device.
In order to achieve the above objects, a first embodiment of an operating device of the present invention comprises a dial, a rotary conductive member rotatable together with the dial, and a fixed conductive member fixed in an electronic apparatus holding the operating device and in contact with the rotary conductive member.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus containing an operating device which comprises a dial, a rotary conductive member rotatable together with the dial, and a fixed conductive member fixed in the electronic apparatus holding the operating device and in contact with the rotary conductive member.
In a further aspect, the present invention relates to an operating apparatus comprising a dial, an operating button provided in a recess portion of the center of the dial, a rotary conductive member engaged between the recess portion of the center of the dial and the operating button, and having a strip projecting from the recess portion of the center of the dial and a fixed circular conductive member provided in an electronic apparatus holding the operating device, and disposed between the dial and the electronic apparatus with the center of the dial serving as its center axis, so as to make contact with the strip of the rotary conductive member.
In still a further aspect, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having an operating device which comprises a dial, an operating button provided in a recess portion of the center of the dial; a rotary conductive member engaged between the recess portion of the center of the dial and the operating button, and having a strip projecting from the recess portion of the center of the dial; and a fixed circular conductive member provided in an electronic apparatus holding the operating device, and disposed between the dial and the electronic apparatus with the center of the dial serving as its center axis, so as to make contact with the strip of the rotary conductive member.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.